New to MBP - 15" or 13"

[MBP*]

I am a recent switcher to the MBP. I used to use a high powered i5 machine with dual monitors with Windows 8. I have decided to make the switch because I never used to play any games, or do anything that'll require me to push the limits of the machine. It's possible that I might be going back to school too, so I decided I need a laptop.

I have acquired a 15" 2009 MBP from my brother, but in all honesty I perhaps would have preferred the 13" due to the portability. My currents specs are Core2Duo with 4GB RAM. By the processor alone, you can see that this is a dated machine - I don't know how well it handles the daily tasks. It also has 10.5 on here for the OS.

I've thought of selling this and either getting a newer (or refurbished) 15" or 13". I like the 13" for its size, but I don't know how much the small screen will bother me on long journeys. At home I intend to hook it up to a 22" monitor (I'd do the same if I get a 15" too).

So, do you think I should sell this model and futurerproof myself for the next 3 years+ - what would you suggest when advising someone of portability between the two sizes?

 

[Steve121178]

Core2Duo dated? It depends what you are doing. If you are just using it for standard work tasks, internet use & running the vast majority of apps then it's more than good enough.

As you are new to Macs, I suggest upgrading OS X to the latest version you can and learn how to use OS X. Once you are familiar with OS X and you've decided that OS X is definitely for you, then you should look at getting a new machine.

 

[MBP*]

Core2Duo dated? It depends what you are doing. If you are just using it for standard work tasks, internet use & running the vast majority of apps then it's more than good enough.

As you are new to Macs, I suggest upgrading OS X to the latest version you can and learn how to use OS X. Once you are familiar with OS X and you've decided that OS X is definitely for you, then you should look at getting a new machine.

Well, just as I was using it last night, I seem to be pushing the capabilities of this laptop already. When I browse the internet for example, I typically open up to 2 or 3 windows of 20 tabs each. The laptop seemed to be grappling with just 2 windows open of several tabs each. I do a lot of research for my line of work, which involved loads of tabs. I don't mind upgrading the RAM if that's what I need to do.

Also, what is the battery life for this model - I'm getting about 2 hours on a full charge I think the battery might need replacing, but if it's not more than what I'm getting now then I suppose there isn't much point.

I've been using iMacs at work and vaguely familiar with the OS, not expert compared to my use with Windows. But perhaps you're right, maybe I should wait for a while and get used to the OS. I might even wait long enough for the next generation MBP to be released. However, I'm concerned that using the 15" for too long might make me forget the 13" as once an ideal option. Of course, I like the 15" for its comfortability in its size, but I'm yet to see how it compared to lugging around.

I am trying to upgrade the OS, but I can't jump straight onto Mavericks directly it seems. Do I need to get Snow Leopard first onto a DVD?

 

[Steve121178]

I typically open up to 2 or 3 windows of 20 tabs each.

You are caning the RAM, heck even my brand new 13" rMBP would feel the strain of having all that open!

As for your upgrade path, I am not sure what your options are coming from 10.5. I'm sure someone here can advise you.

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https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5534770

So it looks like you need to go to Snow Leopard, then you can jump from 10.6 to 10.9 (Mavericks).

 

[maflynn]

I typically open up to 2 or 3 windows of 20 tabs each. The laptop seemed to be grappling with just 2 windows open of several tabs each.

I think most models will be wilting under that scenario, though the bottleneck at that point is the ram, not the cpu.

 

[Cloudsurfer]

Check the activity monitor to view your memory pressure. If it's in the red with all those things open, just upgrade your memory.

The C2D is not a bad CPU, unless you start to do more serious work like video editing. The C2D has a hard time keeping up with Final Cut Pro X for example, so if that's what you're interested in you should definitly check out a newer model.

 

[MBP*]

Check the activity monitor to view your memory pressure. If it's in the red with all those things open, just upgrade your memory.

The C2D is not a bad CPU, unless you start to do more serious work like video editing. The C2D has a hard time keeping up with Final Cut Pro X for example, so if that's what you're interested in you should definitly check out a newer model.

It's unlikely that I will be doing any serious video editing, but I do do some audio rendering and use Photoshop on occasion. Nothing hardcore though.